JANETNELLE CONNER WAHLS

Transcription

1 Collection # M 1098 OM 0550 JANETNELLE CONNER WAHLS Collection Information Biographical Sketch Scope and Content Note Series Contents Cataloging Information Processed by Brittany Deeds June 2014 Manuscript and Visual Collections Department William Henry Smith Memorial Library Indiana Historical Society 450 West Ohio Street Indianapolis, IN

2 COLLECTION INFORMATION VOLUME OF COLLECTION: COLLECTION DATES: 1 manuscript box, 2 OM folders, 1 OVA photographs folder, 5 folders color photographs, 21 artifacts PROVENANCE: Janetnelle Conner Wahls, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2011 RESTRICTIONS: None COPYRIGHT: REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. ALTERNATE FORMATS: RELATED HOLDINGS: ACCESSION NUMBER: NOTES:

3 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Janetnelle ("Jan") Conner Wahls was born as Janetnelle Weirick, on 27 April Jan married her first husband, Richard F. Conner, on 16 December They had two children: Betsy Conner Neff and John R. Conner. Throughout much of her life and in most of the materials in the collection, Jan was typically identified as "Mrs. Richard F. Conner." On 19 January 1996, Jan married her second husband, a widower named Gerald E. Wahls (b. 21 January 1925 d. 7 October 2012). Jan and Gerald were both involved in Bill Glass Prison Ministry and Evangelism Explosion and within other ministries and their church Walnut Grove Chapel of Indianapolis, Indiana. Jan was a staunch conservative and devout Christian, which led to her involvement in many political and religious organizations and causes throughout her life. Some organizations she belonged to include: National Association of Pro-America, Crossroads Volunteer Association, Alpha Chi Omega Mother's Club, Indiana University Alumni Association, and the Women's Club of Indianapolis. However, the materials in the collection center on Jan's political activism from 1964 to 1977 and her involvement with the Brown County Women's Retreat from 1969 to Jan was a dedicated supporter of the 1964 Barry Goldwater presidential election campaign. She was a member of the Marion County Goldwater for President Committee, and later served as chairman of the Northside Goldwater Bazaar Committee, a non-profit political organization. The stated goals of the Northside Goldwater Bazaar were to raise funds for Barry Goldwater's campaign and to serve as a locus for disseminating Goldwater campaign literature and materials. The bazaar was run out of Jan and Richard Conner's personal residence at 7901 Westfield Blvd in Indianapolis. The bazaar opened on 27 July 1964, and ran for a total of 17 weeks. Over 300 volunteers helped staff the bazaar six days a week. The bazaar stocked a total of 95 different campaign items, including Goldwater taffy, political pins of elephants wearing Goldwater's trademark horn-rimmed glasses, oven mitts, gold-colored aftershave lotion, and ashtrays. Bazaar stock was also made available at numerous Republican meetings in Marion, Hamilton and Brown counties and at "coffees" hosted out of volunteers' homes. Additionally, the Northside Goldwater Bazaar assisted other pro-goldwater citizen groups by selling stocks of material at cost to 27 communities, including Fort Wayne, Indiana; Louisville Kentucky; Columbus, Ohio; and Flossmoor, Illinois. Jan served as an elected delegate for Washington Township at the 1964 and 1966 Republican state conventions. In November 1977, Jan served as an Indiana delegate to the National Women's Conference held in Houston, Texas. The National Women's Conference was a federally mandated and funded meeting held as part of the observance of International Women's Year. Elected delegates from the fifty U.S. states and six U.S. territories met to make recommendations

4 to President Carter and Congress on how best to eliminate sexual discrimination in the U.S. It was the first national meeting ever held to specifically address the concerns of women in the U.S. Jan was elected as part of a slate of the Citizens Review Committee, a conservative group that generally opposed the stated goals of the International Women's Committee, particularly the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. From 1969 to 1999, Jan was also heavily involved with the Brown County Women's Retreat (BCWR), a religious organization established to bring women together and to instruct women in biblical truths and spiritual growth. Jan was a founding member of the Brown County Women's Retreat Committee, and she continued to serve on that committee, either as a chairman or member, for thirty continuous years. During the spring 1989 and fall 1993 retreats, Jan ran a shop for attendees called "Jan's Gifts;" the proceeds of her shop went towards scholarships for the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade. The BCWR has its roots in the fall of 1968, when musician Beatrice Bush Bixler invited some Indianapolis friends to attend a "Winsome Women" retreat at Winona Lake, Indiana. Seven women, including Jan, attended the "Winsome Women" retreat, and their positive experience inspired the attendees to create their own retreat organization, which they named the Brown County Women's Retreat. For their first retreat in May 1969, the BCWR committee selected the Abe Martin Lodge and cabins of Brown County State Park in Nashville, Indiana, as their site. The theme of the retreat was "Come Alive," and the speakers were Melva Wickman of Chicago and Martha Ayres of Philadelphia. The retreat was a success, with approximately 100 women in attendance. From , the Brown County Women's Retreat held retreats biannually: one retreat in the spring and one retreat in the fall. Over the years, the BWCR held retreats at several different locations within Indiana, such as Indiana University, French Lick Springs Hotel, Taylor University, and Vincennes University. By 2000, it appears that the BCWR scaled back their operations, and began hosting only one retreat per year. Sources: Materials in collection. Gerald E. Wahls Obituary. Gerald.php. Accessed 3 June U.S. Public Records Index, Volume I and the Marion County, Indiana, Marriage Index, , both accessed through Ancestry.com.

5 SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The materials in this collection reflect the several religious and political organizations and causes that Janetnelle Conner Wahls was mostly actively involved with from The collection is divided into seven series, primarily by organizations and causes. The series are arranged in roughly chronological order. The bulk of the collection centers on her involvement with the 1964 Barry Goldwater presidential campaign and her involvement with the Brown County Women's Retreat from Series 1 This series contains a wide variety of materials pertaining to the 1964 Barry Goldwater presidential election campaign. The series is roughly divided between items that are directly associated with the Northside Goldwater Bazaar and coffees (such as correspondence, reports, instructions for volunteers, inventory lists, volunteer lists and schedules, and campaign artifacts sold at the bazaar) and more general Barry Goldwaterrelated materials, such as campaign literature, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and campaign artifacts. There is one photograph of Jan and other Northside Goldwater Bazaar volunteers greeting Barry Goldwater, Jr., which was printed as part of an article on the Northside Goldwater Bazaar. Inventory lists from the Northside Goldwater Bazaar allow for identification of which campaign artifacts in the collection were distributed for free-will donations through the bazaar and coffees. However, it is unclear which pieces of Goldwater campaign literature, materials, and visuals were distributed through the bazaar and coffees and which pieces of campaign literature, materials, and visuals may have belonged only to Jan. Where feasible, the pro-goldwater campaign literature and material has been subdivided into folders by its distributing organization and/or type of material. There are fourteen Goldwater campaign artifacts within this series. Series 2 This series contains materials pertaining to Indiana Republican political campaign in the 1960s. There are pamphlets and correspondence relating to several 1964 Republican candidates, as well as an undated Marion County GOP ribbon and a letter from The Cinema Educational Guild reporting on the voting records of all members of Congress during the sessions. There are six artifacts within this series. Series 3 This series contains materials pertaining to the Jan's elections as a Washington Township delegate to the 1964 and 1966 Indiana Republican State Conventions. It includes Republican Party endorsement circulars and newspaper clippings of election results for both1964 and 1966, two admittance tickets to the 1966 Indiana Republican State Convention, a pamphlet assigning delegates to voting machines for 21 June 1966, and a form letter from Indiana Supreme Court Judge candidate Donald R. Mote requesting support. Series 4 This series contains materials pertaining to the 1977 National Women's Conference, held as part of the observance of International Women's Year. Included in this series are a voter card for Jan Conner, a certificate verifying Jan as an elected delegate from Indiana, several pieces of correspondence relating to Jan's role as a delegate and three

6 newspaper clippings about the conference. There is one artifact within this series: Jan's official photo ID and name card for the conference. A book entitled Charlotte: A Portrait of Freedom, by C. Joanne Reynolds, was transferred to the print collection. The book is a personal memoir, interspersed with the story of the Indiana delegation to the 1977 National Women's Conference. It chronicles the author's opposition to "feminist" issues, such as abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment. Series 5 This series contains assorted conservative literature and papers. Among the items are undated anti-communist papers; a pamphlet of Rev. Bruce W. Dunn's March 1964 sermon called "Watching a Nation Die!"; flyers for two talks opposing the Equal Rights Amendments, ; and some papers relating to the National Association of Pro- America, ca. 1978, including a brochure, list of officers for the Indiana Chapter (Jan was president), and one newspaper clipping. Series 6 This series contains materials pertaining to the Brown County Women's Retreat (BCWR). Included in this series are official documents, such as bylaws and statements of purpose, as well as an undated phone directory and lists of committee members and participants. There is a list entitled "First Retreaters," which lists 12 names. It is unclear as to what event this list refers to, since there were seven Indianapolis women who attended the "Winsome Women" retreat at Winona Lake in the fall of 1968 that inspired the creation BCWR, and reportedly around 100 first attendees for the first BCWR program held in the spring of The collection also has two full programs: one commemorating the 20th anniversary retreat (5 7 May 1989) and the other commemorating the 25th anniversary retreat (5 7 November 1993). These full programs include a more detailed histories of the Brown County Women's Retreat, detailed descriptions of workshops, maps of facilities, lyrics to Christian songs and hymns, blank evaluation sheets, and ordering sheets for recordings of the retreat on cassette tapes. Four folders contain brochures for each retreat from The brochures are arranged chronologically within a span of four decades. The Brown County Women's Retreat Committee held retreats biannually: one retreat in the spring and one retreat in the fall. Most of the retreat brochures contain the following information: the theme of the retreat, the dates and location of the retreat, a schedule or list of available workshops, photographs and brief biographies of the guest speakers and musicians, and a list of the members of the retreat committee. A few brochures have associated materials, such as testimonial flyers or recommendation cards for future retreats. The women of the retreat committee used to only be listed under their married names; however, beginning in the spring of 1999, the retreat committee members began listing their full names, with their husbands' first and surnames listed in parentheses. For the years , there are only brochures for fall retreats, which suggest that the BCWR scaled back their operations and began only hosting one retreat per year. There are 37 color photographs of BCWR attendees, divided by date into three folders. One folder contains pictures from the May 1986 retreat, the second folder contains

7 pictures from the 5 7 May 1989 (20th Anniversary) retreat, and the third folder contains retreat pictures taken circa 1980s. Although none of the individuals in the photographs are identified by name, the identities of some participants can likely be determined by crossreferencing the photographs of the speakers and musicians from the BCWR brochures. Series 7 This series contains five unidentified and undated photographs, which likely pertain to Jan's personal life. There are four photographs of the Purdue University marching band performing at Purdue University stadium and one photograph of an unidentified child.

8 SERIES CONTENTS Series 1: Barry Goldwater Presidential Election Campaign Materials, CONTENTS Northside Goldwater Bazaar Correspondence, Aug Mar Northside Goldwater Bazaar Report to Volunteers and Contributors, Oct. Nov Final Report, Nov Draft, Oct Northside Goldwater Bazaar News Release and Newspaper Clippings, Sept Northside Goldwater Bazaar Lists of Officers and Typed Instructions, Aug. Nov Northside Goldwater Bazaar Inventory Lists and Price Lists, Aug Oct Volunteer and Donor Lists for Northside Goldwater Bazaars and Goldwater Coffees [cross reference with OM 0550] Northside Goldwater Bazaar Shift Sign-Up Charts September, 1964 October, 1964 Goldwater Coffees and Meetings Posters Coffee and Meetings Sept Oct 1964 Calendar "I'll Help With Coffees" Volunteer Sign-Up Poster Contested Sales of Goldwater Campaign Items in Indiana, Sept. Dec "Marion County Goldwater for President Committee" Materials "Indiana Citizens for Goldwater-Miller Committee" Materials "Goldwater for President Committee" Campaign Pamphlets CONTAINER Box 1, Folder 1 Box 1, Folder 2 Box 1, Folder 3 Box 1, Folder 4 Box 1, Folder 5 Box 1, Folder 6 OM 0550, Folder 1 OM 0550, Folder 2 Box 1, Folder 7 Box 1, Folder 8 Box 1, Folder 9 Box 1, Folder 10

9 "Goldwater for President Bulletin" News Releases, 10 July 1964 Box 1, Folder 11 "Citizens for Goldwater-Miller" Pamphlets Box 1, Folder 12 "Citizens for Goldwater-Miller" New Releases, 6 Oct. 7 Oct "Citizens for Goldwater-Miller" "Victory Information Programs, 7 Oct. 30 Oct Americans for Conservative Action (ACA) Newsletters, Sept. and Nov The Magazine of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Fall 1964 issue Film Documentary "Choice" Papers and Newspaper Clippings, Oct Box 1, Folder 13 Box 1, Folder 14 Box 1, Folder 15 Box 1, Folder 16 Box 1, Folder 17 Assorted Pro-Barry Goldwater Materials, 1964 Box 1, Folder 18 Barry Goldwater Newspaper Clippings, Box 1, Folder 19 Barry Goldwater Masks and Other Campaign Novelties, 1964 Picture of Republican elephant sitting on Democratic donkey with hologram eyes that wink [color, cardboard mounted on tongue depressor] Pair of black cardboard horn-rimmed Goldwater glasses [in 3 pieces] Barry Goldwater face mask [color, cardboard, held in place by wearing glasses over ears] Paper bag [printed image of sun and cacti above the word "Goldwaters"] Barry Goldwater Campaign Visuals [Jan Conner and other Northside Goldwater Bazaar volunteers greeting Barry Goldwater Jr. Crossreference with article in Northside Goldwater Bazaar news clipping folder] [photograph of various newspaper titles regarding Lyndon Johnson and Bobby Baker] [Poster of Barry Goldwater] Box 1, Folder 20 OVA Photographs, Folder 1

10 Barry Goldwater Color Photographs [Barry Goldwater speaking at a rally, dated July 1964] [Barry Goldwater at podium with "GOParty" sign, dated July 1964] [Color print of Barry Goldwater] Color Photographs Folder 1 Rubber Stamp, reads: "GOLDWATER IN '64" Rubber Stamp, reads: "NORTHSIDE GOLDWATER BAZAAR / 7901 WESTFIELD BLVD / INDIANAPOLIS 40 / INDIANA" [elephant on proper left] Ballpoint pen, reads: "Goldwater in '64" Pair Goldwater earrings [gold-colored elephant heads, wearing Goldwater's trademark horn-rimmed glasses] Elephant-shaped political pin. [gold-colored elephant, wearing Goldwater's trademark horn-rimmed glasses] Kids for Goldwater Club membership cards Political button, in Spanish, reads: "ARRIBA CON BARRY Y BILL" with picture of Barry Goldwater and running mate William E. Miller. Political button, reads: "IN YOUR HEART / YOU KNOW HE'S RIGHT," with picture of Barry Goldwater centered in red heart. Political button, reads: "GO! / BARRY / '64" Political button, reads: "AMERICANS / FOR / GOLDWATER" [blue lettering on yellow background, with union maker's mark] Political button, reads: "INDIANA'S / FAVORITE / FAMILY" [blue lettering on yellow background, with photograph of Barry Goldwater and presumably his wife] Goldwater trading stamp, reads: "TRADE-IN JOHNSON / FOR BARRY GOLDWATER!" Goldwater taffy label

11 Phonograph 33 1/3 record, "GO, GOLDWATER!" [with typed instructions on how to use record] Series 2: Indiana Republican Political Campaign Materials, ca. 1960s CONTENTS Indiana Republican Campaign Pamphlets, 1964 Don A. Tabbert D. Russell Bontrager Dick [Richard L.] Ristine Indiana Republican Campaign Correspondence, 1964 Indiana Citizens for Good Government Don A. Tabbert John M. Ryan CONTAINER Box 1, Folder 21 Box 1, Folder 22 Pro-Republican Party Materials, n.d. Box 1, Folder 23 Political button, reads: "REPUBLICAN / RISTINE/ FOR GOVERNOR" [red, white, and blue in color, 1964] Political button, reads: "TABBERT / FOR CONGRESS" [red lettering, with picture of Don A. Tabbert, 1964] Political button, reads: "FOR CONGRESS / DONALD BRUCE" [white lettering on red background with picture of Donald Bruce, n.d.] Political button, reads: "RE-ELECT / ROUDEBUSH / TO CONGRESS" [dark blue lettering on white background with picture of Richard L. Roudebush, n.d.] Cardboard cutout of Republican elephant [presumably for tracing, n.d.] Return address label for R. F. Conner, reads: "Reduce / Inflation / GO REUBLICAN" [n.d.]

12 Series 3: Washington Township Delegate to Indiana Republican State Convention Materials, CONTENTS Endorsed Delegates for Washington Township Flyer and Election Results Newspaper Clipping, 1964 Delegate to Indiana Republican State Convention Materials, 1966 CONTAINER Box 1, Folder 24 Box 1, Folder 25 Series 4: National Women's Conference, 1977 CONTENTS National Women's Conference Materials, Voter card Certificate verifying Jan Conner as Indiana delegate, 16 July 1977 Correspondence National Women's Conference Newspaper Clippings, 1977 Photo ID and name badge for 1997 National Women's Conference for Indiana delegate Jan Conner CONTAINER Box 1, Folder 26 Box 1, Folder 27 Series 5: Assorted Conservative Literature and Papers CONTENTS CONTAINER Anti-Communism Papers, n.d. Box 1, Folder 28 "Watching a Nation Die!" pamphlet, 1964 [reprint of sermon given on 1 March 1964 by Rev. Bruce W. Dunn, Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois] Flyers for Talks Opposing the Equal Rights Amendments, Box 1, Folder 29 Box 1, Folder 30 National Association of Pro-America, ca Box 1, Folder 31

13 Series 6: Brown County Women's Retreat Materials, CONTENTS Brown County Women's Retreat Bylaws and Other Official Documents 3 drafts of the 1972 BCWR Bylaws 1975 BCWR Bylaws Statement of Purpose and History [n.d.] 2 copies of BCWR Statement of Faith and Statement of Purpose [one with handwritten notes, n.d.] Study Paper and Policy Statement Relating to the Charismatic Movement [n.d.] Brown County Women's Retreat Lists of Participants Directory [n.d.] List of BCWR Committee Members from List of "First Retreaters" [12 women listed, n.d.] 2 handwritten lists of last names and dates [prayer request for Julia Lawton written on back of one list, n.d.] Brown County Women's Retreat Materials (5 7 May 1989, 20th Anniversary) Full Program Schedule Correspondence Evaluation Report Brown County Women's Retreat Materials (5 7 Nov. 1993, 25th Anniversary) Full Program 25th Anniversary Poem CONTAINER Box 1, Folder 32 Box 1, Folder 33 Box 1, Folder 34 Box 1, Folder 35 Brown County Women's Retreat Brochures, Box 1, Folder 36 Brown County Women's Retreat Brochures, Box 1, Folder 37 Brown County Women's Retreat Brochures, Box 1, Folder 38 Brown County Women's Retreat Brochures, Box 1, Folder 39 Brown County Women's Retreat Photographs, May 1986 [20 photographs total, individuals not identified] Color Photographs, Folder 2

14 Brown County Women's Retreat Photographs, 5 7 May 1989 [5 photographs total. Each photograph is of the same group of unidentified women attendees at the 20th Anniversary retreat. The group is centered under a cabin-shaped banner reading "Abe Martin Lodge" and a smaller banner reading "COME ALIVE"] Brown County Women's Retreat Photographs, ca. 1980s "Speaker, 5/15 17/1987" [photograph of unidentified woman with BCWR speaker Beverly Terrell, who is wearing a blue dress with white lace collar] [11 photographs of unidentified women gathered and chatting in hotel room] Color Photographs, Folder 3 Color Photographs, Folder 4 Series 7: Unidentified Photographs CONTENTS Unidentified Photographs [n.d.] [4 photographs of Purdue University marching band performing at Purdue University stadium, taken from stands, n.d.] [1 photograph of unidentified small child getting into kitchen drawer, n.d.] CONTAINER Color Photographs, Folder 5

15 CATALOGING INFORMATION For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials: 1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: 2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon. 3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box. 4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 1098). 5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.